This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in graphing a microset of data, then using the graphs to investigate the relationship between volcanic activity and the presence of atmospheric aerosols. The lesson provides detailed procedure, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions and extensions, and Teacher Notes.
Full description.

This
lesson
is
designed
to
help
students
gain
knowledge
in
using
the
MY
NASA
DATA
Live
Access
Server
(LAS)
to
specify
and
download
a
microset
of
data,
then
to
use
the
data
to
create
graphs
comparing
the
amount
(percentage)
of
snow
cover
along
selected
latitudes.
Students
will
make
graphs
from
the
data
microset,
then
use
the
graphs
to
investigate
the
percentage
of
snow
cover
by
latitude.
The
lesson
...
Full description.

This
lesson
is
designed
to
help
students
gain
knowledge
in
using
the
MY
NASA
DATA
Live
Access
Server
(LAS)
to
specify
and
download
a
microset
of
data,
then
to
use
the
data
to
estimate
percentage
of
snow
cover
for
each
continent.
The
data
used
in
this
lesson
come
from
the
International
Satellite
Cloud
Climatology
Project
(ISCCP).
ISCCP
computes
fractional
snow
and
ice
coverage
by
scanning
the
Earth
...
Full description.

The
atmosphere
is
a
mixture
of
gases
including
nitrogen,
oxygen,
carbon
dioxide
and
other
trace
gases.
Additionally,
the
atmosphere
contains
small,
suspended
liquid
and
particle
matter
called
aerosols.
Aerosols
come
from
various
sources,
both
natural
and
anthropogenic
(man-made).
Aerosols
are
important
to
study
and
monitor
because
they
have
direct
and
indirect
effects
on
regional
weather
and
global
...
Full description.

Solar
cells
have
varying
amounts
of
effectiveness
depending
on
factors
such
as
latitude
and
cloud
coverage.
For
example,
locations
with
more
cloud
coverage
will
produce
less
solar
energy.
By
comparing
the
monthly
averages
of
surface
downward
radiation
in
various
locations
around
the
United
States,
students
can
analyze
areas
that
would
be
more
or
less
beneficial
to
having
solar
panels
per
month.
This
...
Full description.

The
seasons
on
Earth
are
caused
by
the
tilt
of
the
Earth
on
its
axis
as
it
revolves
around
the
Sun.
The
differences
in
climate
along
similar
latitudes
can
be
explained
by
local
variations
in
heat
transfer,
such
as
sea
and
land
breezes.
The
absorption
of
solar
radiation
by
different
surface
materials
also
contributes
to
variations
in
temperature
along
similar
latitudes.
Students
will
learn
to
correlate
...
Full description.

Students
will
make
predictions
by
linking
current
scientific
satellite
data
to
concerns
about
global
climate
change.
Using
maps
of
sea
surface
temperature
(SST)
and
ocean
surface
winds,
students
will
learn
how
differential
heating
of
Earth
results
in
circulation
patterns
in
the
atmosphere
and
oceans
that
globally
distribute
the
heat.
Students
will
learn
the
relationship
between
the
rotation
of
Earth
...
Full description.

Phytoplankton,
microscopic
floating
plant-like
marine
organisms
(plankton
means
wanderer)
are
at
the
bottom
of
the
marine
food
chain.
They
perform
photosynthesis
using
water,
carbon
dioxide,
and
sunlight
to
produce
glucose
for
their
own
use,
as
well
as
oxygen.
Humans
and
all
land
animals
and
sea
creatures
are
dependent
on
phytoplankton.
The
chlorophyll
in
phytoplankton
can
be
observed
by
remote
sensing
...
Full description.

Water
is
one
of
Earth's
most
unique
and
valuable
resources.
Thus,
the
distribution
of
water
on
Earth
is
a
very
important
factor
in
the
evaluation
of
global
climate
and
its
impact
on
life.
In
this
lesson,
students
will
use
historical
satellite
data
to
examine
precipitable
water
--
a
measure
of
the
water
available
in
the
atmosphere
from
evaporation
(in
the
form
of
water
vapor).
They
will
then
compare
...
Full description.